It is known in the prior art (Japanese Patent Publication number 29308 of 1988 (see FIG. 1-5)) that a coin selector may include a coin slot, a mechanical coin selecting section for authenticating coins which is located continuously to the coin slot and is located along a coin passageway and with an outputting section which outputs a genuine signal to a charging apparatus. In recent years, the information apparatus known as a smart card has been developed and used. Such smart cards have an IC which memorizes some value information.
Also the smart cards are used for settling finances. In other words, the settling of debts/charges is accomplished with the use of coins and/or smart cards. Therefore a charging apparatus is needed that can be used to process coins and/or smart cards.
The first known prior reference (Korean Utility Model number 174519 (see FIG. 3)) for answering this need includes features with the charging apparatus having a coin selector and a reading and writing unit for a contact type smart card.
Also, an additional prior reference (Japanese Publication of unexamined Patent application number 2126121 (see FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 5, pages 3–4)) is known where a slot of a reading and writing unit is located below the banknote slot of a validator.
In Japanese Patent Publication number 29308, a customer has to insert the smart card into the slot every time. This procedure is a lot of bother. Also, when the coin selector and the reading/writing unit for the smart card are independently detached from the charging apparatus, there is a possibility where a customer might get confused as they feel that they can only use one medium or the other: for example the smart card or the coin, but not both. Furthermore the charging apparatus becomes larger in employing a device of Japanese Patent Publication number 29308.
In Korean Utility Model number 174519, when the charging apparatus is larger than the banknote size, for use as a banknote validator, the reading/writing unit can be attached easily. However when the width of the charging apparatus is smaller than the banknote, as it is with the coin selector, the reading/writing unit can not be attached.